In Alola, Raichu has a regional variant that is Electric/Psychic. It evolves from Pikachu when exposed to a Thunder Stone. All Pikachu in Alola will evolve into this form regardless of their origin.

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Biology

Raichu is a bipedal, rodent-like Pokémon. Raichu is covered in dark orange fur with a white belly. Its bifurcated ears are brown on the outside, yellow on the insides, and end in a distinctive curl. There is a circular yellow marking on each cheek where its electric sacs are, and it has a triangular, dark brown nose. Its arms and feet have patches of brown fur at the end, and the soles of its long feet are tan with a circular orange pad in the center. On its back are two horizontal brown stripes. Its long, thin tail has a lightning bolt-shaped end. This lightning bolt is smaller on females. Raichu exudes a weak electrical charge from all its body and glows slightly in the dark.

Raichu's tail is used to gather electricity from the atmosphere, or it can be planted in the ground to search for electricity. It can store over 100,000 volts of electricity. If Raichu's sacs are fully charged, its ears will stand straight up and its muscles become stimulated. However, it will become aggressive if it has stored too much electricity. To keep from reaching this state, it discharges electricity through its tail into the ground. This leads to scorched patches near its nest. Raichu is found in forests and woodlands. Like the twoothers in its evolutionary family, Raichu is able to learn Volt Tackle as a signature move.

In Alola, Raichu has lighter coloring and more rounded features. Its eyes are blue with yellow half-circles along the bottom. It has large yellow ears with an inner spiral toward the base and brown on the inside. These ears are thicker and less pointed than a standard Raichu's ear. In addition to its white belly, Alolan Raichu has white markings on its paws with bright yellow lines between its digits. The stripes on its back have also turned white, and there is a small, white circular marking on each heel. The lightning bolt-shaped tip of its tail has rounded edges. By collecting its psychic power in its tail, it is able to ride it like a surfboard and float in the air. While its cheek sacs are still used to store electricity, rubbing them releases a sweet aroma. This is also thought to be connected to its Psychic abilities. Raichu's transformation in Alola into Alolan Raichu is mostly a mystery, but the people of Alola suggest that it ate too many sweet and fluffy pancakes.[1] Researchers do believe the change is related to diet. Alolan Raichu is also sometimes called "hodad". It is the only known Pokémon capable of using the exclusive Z-MoveStoked Sparksurfer.

A Raichu appeared in Pika and Goliath!, under the ownership of Sho, a Trainer who sought to have possession of one Pokémon each from the Pikachu evolutionary line. It battled against Ash's Pikachu twice in that episode.

A Raichu made a cameo in The Legend of Thunder!. It was one of the Electric Pokémon that were lured by the "Miracle Crystal" that Attila and Hun were using. Raichu tried to be the hero by zapping the crystal, but the attack bounced back to itself.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Lt. Surge has a Raichu, which was first seen in Silph Co. in Go for the Golbat. However, it never participated in battles until fighting the Masked Man in his Mahogany Hideout, where it helped Surge break in and seemingly backed the mastermind into a corner, until his Houndour called upon dozens of wild Houndour to thwart Surge, instead. The former Team Rocket triad member barely escaped with his life after having many of his Electrode self-destruct.

Trivia

Raichu originally had an evolution named "Gorochu", which would have had two horns and fangs. Sugimori stated that while there was nothing wrong with its appearance, it was nonetheless omitted, as the staff found that the game balance was better without it.[3]

Raichu's FireRed and Sun Pokédex entries reference a 1903 documentary film called Electrocuting an Elephant by Thomas Edison.

Several Pokédex entries claim Raichu can discharge up to 100,000 volts. However, its Stadium entry claims it can only discharge up to 10,000 volts. This is likely a translation error due to the way numbers are read in Japanese, where 100,000 literally reads "ten ten-thousands".

Although Pikachu is the starter of Pokémon Yellow, it is not possible to directly evolve it into Raichu in the game, and must be traded in from Red and Blue. This inability to evolve Pikachu is a reference to Ash's Pikachu in the anime.

Name origin

Raichu is a combination of 雷 rai (thunder) and チューチュー chūchū (the sound of squeaking).

Alolan Raichu's alternate name, Hodad, as seen in the Ultra Sun Pokédex entry, seems to be a direct reference to the term hodad. This might be a reference on how it isn't able to learn Surf (except by evolving an event Pikachu) despite looking like a surfer.